Strangers In Paradise: Sanctuary

Rating:
Summary: Amazingly powerful
Review: I have only read the first nine volumes ("Sanctuary" being number 7) but out of all of them I think "Sanctuary" is the most powerful. The emotions are raw and the pain is real. There are some very funny moments, and there is unbelievable tragedy. I have gone back and read this volume again and again and every time I see something new. This is Terry Moore's storytelling at its best- the only other volume that comes close in its power is "I Dream Of You" (number 2). As the other reviewer here has said, the other volumes provide backstory you need to make sense of the events, and they are good in their own right, but none of them even approach the power of "Sanctuary."

Rating:
Summary: Some of the best Strangers in Paradise yet.
Review: Strangers in Paradise: Volume 7: Sanctuary compiles the following issues into one collection: Volume 3, Issue 17: My Old Addiction; Volume 3, Issue 18: If I Wake Up; Volume 3, Issue 19: Nothing Gold Can Stay; Volume 3, Issue 20: Talk to Me; Volume 3, Issue 21: The Silence of Friends; Volume 3, Issue 22: Years to Go; Volume 3, Issue 23: Fear of Swimming; and Volume 3: Issue 24: I, Me, Mine.

I very much recommend reading the first six volumes of this series (The Collected Strangers in Paradise, I Dream of You, It's a Good Life, Love Me Tender, Immortal Enemies, and High School), as they provide vital backstory (and are well worth reading in their own right) (check my profile for reviews of these other collections).

Wow. Sanctuary is, in my opinion, the most powerful, most emotionally-charged Strangers in Paradise collection yet. You know that something has gone horribly awry when the book starts and you see Francine, much older, much more broken down by life, and without Katchoo. (If these scenes look familar, don't worry, you're not imagining things. They're much the same opening scenes as used in Strangers in Paradise: Volume 4: Love Me Tender.) There is something deeply wrong with Francine, a soul-searing emptiness that is slowly killing her spirit to live, and to love. Seeing her only daughter wither away, Francine's mother does the only thing she can do: she calls in the big guns.

The majority of this collection is spent reviewing the events leading up to the ten-year schism between the best friends. As you can imagine, there's a lot of pain, a lot of anguish, a lot of misunderstanding, a lot of violence (well, Katchoo is involved...), and a lot of stubbornnes. And in the midst of all this, Katchoo gets famous, Casey finds a new love, Freddie Femur once again proves himself to be slime, Francine learns something about herself, and David gets a surprise (or three) of his own.

One thing I did find disconcerting throughout Sanctuary was the apparent slight change in artwork. I found the changes in Katchoo most disturbing. She didn't... feel... like Katchoo to me. In fact, there were several times where I thought Casey more resembled Katchoo than Katchoo did. Very odd.

I highly recommend Sanctuary to any fan of solid storytelling about more-or-less believable characters (well, believable characters who have lead unbelievable lives?) with strong passions and strong loyalties.